Method of knitting

ABSTRACT

Method of making a tubular knitted article by hand knitting using two straight single-pointed needles is carried out by (1) casting-on the stitches in a circle, (2) knitting the subsequent circular rows of the tubular article by alternately working and slipping stitches, and (3) binding-off the last row in a circle.

United States Patent 167,563 9/1875 lnllculul.

inventor Lee D. Gilchrist 7 R0. Box 1, Becket, Mass. 01223 Appl. No. 816,051 Filed Apr. 14, 1969 Patented Sept. 7, 1971 METHOD OF KNITTING- 13 Claims, No Drawings U.S. C1,, 66/172 Int. Cl D04b 1/24 Field of Search 66/1 l 4, l, 169,172,2, 170

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,416,040 2/1947 Armstrong 3,438,223 4/1969 Linstead OTHER REFERENCES McCalls Knitting Book 4, 1968, P. 46, McCall Corp., Copy in 66/170 Woman 5 Day, 1 1/68, pp. 59 & 87, Fawcett Pub., Copy in 66/17] Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney-Sidney Greenberg ABSTRACT: Method of making a tubular knitted article by hand knitting using two straight single-pointed needles is carried out by (1) casting-on the stitches in a circle, (2) knitting the subsequent circular rows of the tubular article by a1- temately working and slipping stitches, and (3) binding-off the last row in a circle.

METHOD OF KNITTING The present invention relates to a method of knitting, and particularly to a hand-knitting method of making circular knitted products by using two straight needles.

By circular knitted products are meant seamless tubular articles such as sweaters, skirts, socks or the like which, as knitted, are open at one or both ends. Known methods of hand knitting such circular products include the use of a circular needle or four straight double-pointed needles, in both of which methods the article is formed by knitting continuously around the needles. These methods are subject to certain disadvantages. The fourneedle method is rather cumbersome and inconvenient due to the number of needles required and the consequent complexity inherent in such a method, to say nothing of the added expense involved. The circular needle method has the drawback that different sized needles must be used for making circular knits of different circumference, and substantial expense is therefore entailed in employing such needles for a variety of articles. Also, circular needles capable of making the large, so-called jumbo" knit articles are not commercially available, and as will be evident, the use of four jumbo-size double-pointed straight needles for making such articles would make that method even more difficult and cumbersome.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improve method of making circular knit articles.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved knitting method of the above type which is simple and convenient, which employs a minimum number of needles of conventional type, and which overcomes the above and other disadvantages of known methods for hand knitting such circular articles.

It is a particular object of the invention to provide a method of hand knitting circular knit articles using two straight singlepointed needles.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

With the above objects in view, the present invention in one of its aspects relates to a method of knitting a tubulararticle using two straight needles comprising the steps of casting-on the stitches in a circle, knitting the subsequent circular rows by alternately working and slipping stitches, and binding-off the last row in a circle or binding-off the front and back of the last row together if a closed end is desired.

The process of casting-on the stitches in a circle using two straight needles in accordance with the invention involves casting-on two sides of a circular row of stitches. This is accomplished by casting-on a portion, typically one-half, of the total stitches required on one needle, and casting-on the remaining number of required stitches by interspersing them between the stitches on the previously cast-on side.

Thereafter, the subsequent circular rows of the tubular article are provided by alternately working stitches and slipping stitches from one needle to the other.

Finally, the work is removed from the needles by bindingoff the last row in a circle, which is achieved in accordance with the invention by alternately binding-off and slipping stitches in the process of binding-off one side of the row and then binding-off the remaining side of the row.

As used herein, the expression working a stitch means either knit" or purl," as will be understood by those versed in the knitting art.

A typical detailed procedure for practicing the present invention is set forth below, the procedure being carried out in three basic stages as follows:

State l-casting a circle using two straight needles.

Stage 2-knitting a tubular body.

Stage 3-binding-off in a circle.

STAGE 1 Using two straight single-pointed needles, referred to herein as needle A and needle B:

1. Cast-on needle A one-half of the total number of stitches required for the complete circumference of the tubular article. The casting-on of these stitches may be by any of the known methods, such as the conventional method of forming a slip knot and slipping the needle into the loop thus formed.

2. Skip the last stitch to needle B. 3. Cast-on one stitch on needle B.

4. Slip one stitch from needle A to needle B.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are no stitches remaining on needle A.

6. Cast-on one more stitch on needle B.

7. Secure the loose yarn end by tying together in any suitable manner the first stitch (i.e., the one closest to the needle point) of the cast row to the contiguous first stitch of the slipped row. This completes the casting-on procedure.

While the foregoing is a preferred procedure for stage 1, it may be varied, as for example, step 3 may comprise casting-on a stitch on needle A instead of on needle B, and step 4 would then comprise slipping the last two stitches from needle A to needle B.

STAGE 2 With the initial row of the circular knit thus cast-on, the work is ready for knitting the tubular article in the desired pattern with the two needles. A typical procedure in this stage is as follows, the directions for knitting being given for the respective sides of the circular row:

Side 1: Knit 1, yarn forward, slip 1, yarn back, knit 1, repeat from across to last stitch, yarn forward, slip 1, turn the work.

Side 2: Repeat as in side 1.

It will be noted that when using a knit working stitch the yarn is moved alternately back and forth to opposite sides of the work between the knit and slipped stitches to keep the circle open.

There is thus provided one complete circular row of knitting. This procedure is repeated for the required number of circular rows to make a tubular article of desired length. The pattern obtained by the foregoing procedure is a stockinette pattern.

The number of stitches'in different rows may be increased if desired by knitting two stitches in one knit stitch.

To decrease the number of stitches either of the following methods may be used:

1. Knit two together: insert needle point through third stitch and first stitch, knit through the two, drop the first stitch from the needle, yarn forward, slip the next stitch, yarn back, drop next stitch from needle, yarn forward, slip next stitch.

2. Slip first stitch, knit through third stitch but do not drop from needle, pass slipped stitch over knit stitch, yarn forward, slip next stitch, yarn back, drop knitted stitch from needle, yarn forward, slip next stitch.

To obtain a pattern comprising purled stitches, the following procedure is used in stage 2:

l. Purl l, slip l, purl l, slip 1, repeat from to end of side 1, turn the work.

2. Repeat as in step 1, thus completing a circular row.

The pattern obtained by using this procedure for the successive rows will be the reverse side of the stockinette pattern.

In the above process using purl working stitches the yarn is always forward. The method of increasing stitches in a purled pattern involves purl and knit in the same stitch. For decreasing stitches in a purled pattern the following procedure may be used:

Purl two together: insert needle point through first and third stitches, purl, drop first stitch from needle, slip next stitch, drop third stitch from needle, slip next stitch. In this process the yarn is always forward.

For the sake of brevity, directions shown hereinafter will be abbreviated as follows:

K-knit P-purl sl-slip yf-yarn forward yb-yarn back ssth-slip stitch to holder pkko-pass knit stitch over knit stitc To provide a ribbed pattern, the following typical procedure may be used, it being noted that in the knit lpurl 1 ribbing, each side of the circular row must be a multiple of two stitches, whereas in the knit 2-purl Zribbing, each side must be a multiple of four stitches:

K l-P 1 ribbing: K 1, yf, sl 1, P 1, S1 1, yb, K 1, repeatfrom across to last three stitches, yf, sl 1, P 1, sl 1, turn and repeat on other side.

K2-P2ribbing: K 1,yf,sl l,yb,K l,yf,sl l,P l,sl 1,P l, s] l, yb, repeat from to end of first side, turn and repeat on second side.

STAGE 3 This stage comprises the procedure for binding-off the last row of the tubular knitted article in a circle in accordance with the invention, and in this process a stitch holder is employed. The following is an illustrative binding-off method:

1. K 1, yf, sl 1 to stitch holder, yb, K 1, pkko, yf, ssth, yb, repeat from to end of first side.

2. Return slipped stitches on holder to empty needle (first stitch slipped on holder to be first stitch slipped on needle). If a double-pointed needle is used as a stitch holder, this step may be omitted and the stitch holder may be used in place of the empty needle. 4

3. K 1, pkko, repeat from to end of second side.

4. Break yarn and pull through last remaining stitch on nee dle. Use yarn end to secure last stitch bound-off to first stitch bound-off to complete the circle.

if it is desired to close the end of the tubular article, the foregoing process of binding-off in a circle is not used, and instead a binding-off process to close the end is used. Such a process may comprise:

K 2 together, K 2 together, pkko, K 2 together, and repeat from There is thus provided by the present invention a simple and convenient method for making tubular knitted articles which are open at one or both ends, employing two straight singlepointed needles of conventional type.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, variations may be made in the specific procedures described above without departing from the principles of the invention. Thus, for example, step 2 of stage 1 involving the casting-on process may consist of casting-on a stitch on needle B and step 3 will then consist of slipping the last stitch from needle A to needle B, with corresponding changes being made in the succeeding steps. In such a variation, the stage 2 process will also be reversed, i.e., the operation will comprise slip 1, yarn back, knit l, yarn forward, etc.

In a further embodiment of the invention, casting-on of the stitches may be carried out in a manner such that the cast-on end of the tubular article is closed, the tubular body is then knitted, and finally the article is bound-off in a circle as described above in accordance with the invention. Such a casting-on method may comprise, for example, casting-on one-half the required number of stitches on one needle and increasing one stitch in each stitch on the next row in known manner.

Accordingly, while the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actually departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover all such equivalent variations as come within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In the method of hand knitting a tubular article with a first and a second needle, the steps of casting-on a plurality of stitches on the first needle, and alternately casting a stitch on one of said needles and slipping at least one stitch from the first needle to the second needle to form a cast-on circular row.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second step comprises alternately slipping the cast-on stitches from the first needle to the second needle and casting-on stitches on the second needle.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said plurality of stitches are one-half the number of stitches forming the circular row.

4. A method as defined in claim 2, and thereafter forming subsequent circular rows of the tubular article by alternately working and slipping stitches from one of said needles to the other needle. 7

5. A method as defined in claim 2, and thereafter forming subsequent circular rows of the tubular article by alternately knitting and slipping stitches while alternately moving the yarn to opposite sides of the work between the steps of knitting and slipping the stitches.

6. A method as defined in claim 4, and thereafter bindingoff the final row of the thus formed tubular article.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the final row is bound-off in a circle.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, said binding-off step comprising slipping alternate stitches of said final row on the needle to a stitch holder, thereafter binding-off the remaining stitches and binding-off said slipped stitches.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, said binding-off step comprising slipping alternate stitches of said final row to a stitch holder while binding-off the remaining stitches, and binding-off said slipped stitches.

10. A method as defined in claim 7, said binding-off step comprising alternately working stitches and slipping stitches to a stitch holder while passing preceding worked stitches over succeeding worked stitches, and binding-off the thus slipped stitches.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein said working stitches are knit stitches and during said binding-off step the yarn is moved alternately to opposite sides of the work between the steps of knitting and slipping the stitches.

12. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said needles are straight and separate.

13. In the method of hand knitting a tubular article which comprises knitting circular rows of stitches on a straight needle to form a tubular body, the step of binding-off the last row in a circle comprising slipping alternate stitches of said last row to a stitch holder while binding-ofi' the remaining stitches, and binding-off said slipped stitches. 

1. In the method of hand knitting a tubular article with a first and a second needle, the steps of casting-on a plurality of stitches on the first needle, and alternately casting a stitch on one of said needles and slipping at least one stitch from the first needle to the second needle to form a cast-on circular row.
 2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second step comprises alternately slipping the cast-on stitches from the first needle to the second needle and casting-on stitches on the second needle.
 3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein said plurality of stitches are one-half the number of stitches forming the circular row.
 4. A method as defined in claim 2, and thereafter forming subsequent circular rows of the tubular article by alternately working and slipping stitches from one of said needles to the other needle.
 5. A method as defined in claim 2, and thereafter forming subsequent circular rows of the tubular article by alternately knitting and slipping stitches while alternately moving the yarn to opposite sides of the work between the steps of knitting and slipping the stitches.
 6. A method as defined in claim 4, and thereafter binding-off the final row of the thus formed tubular article.
 7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the final row is bound-off in a circle.
 8. A method as defined in claim 7, said binding-off step comprising slipping alternate stitches of said final row on the needle to a stitch holder, thereafter binding-off the remaining stitches and binding-off said slipped stitches.
 9. A method as defined in claim 7, said binding-off step comprising slipping alternate stitches of said final row to a stitch holder while binding-off the remaining stitches, and binding-off said slipped stitches.
 10. A method as defined in claim 7, said binding-off step comprising alternately working stitches and slipping stitches to a stitch holder while passing preceding worked stitches over succeeding worked stitches, and binding-off the thus slipped stitches.
 11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein said working stitches are knit stitches and during said binding-off step the yarn is moved alternately to opposite sides of the work between the steps of knitting and slipping the stitches.
 12. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said needles are straight and separate.
 13. In the method of hand knitting a tubular article which comprises knitting circular rows of stitches on a straight needle to form a tubular body, the step of binding-off the last row in a circle comprising slipping alternate stitches of said last row to a stitch holder while binding-off the remaining stitches, and binding-off said slipped stitches. 